Friday, March 20, 2009

Eight Hours Of NASCAR TV On Friday

There is only one Bristol. That sentence has been said by many race fans and TV commentators over the years. At this tiny and hypersensitive track, the practice sessions are sometimes filled with more drama than the race. The qualifying, especially for those trying to make the field on time, can be nail-biting.

Friday, SPEED and ESPN combine for eight hours of NASCAR TV beginning at noon ET. The NASCAR on Fox gang gets the day underway with live coverage of Sprint Cup practice. Mike Joy will then be joined in the booth by Jeff Hammond and Hermie Sadler for the Nationwide Series practice at 1:30PM.

It will be Steve Byrnes hosting NASCAR Live at 3PM as the track gets ready for the Sprint Cup Series qualifying. This show catches viewers up on the news and notes from the day. No doubt Tommy Baldwin's recent merger announcement might be a story for this program.

Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds join Joy at 3:30PM as the big boys get set to qualify live on SPEED. According to Jayski, there are 45 cars trying to make the field including nine that are not in the Top 35 and must qualify on speed. It will be Krista Voda and Dick Berggren handling the interviews from pit road.

After the drama of Cup qualifying, the always interesting Nationwide teams take to the track for "happy hour." This is the last time to make adjustments before Saturday qualifying and this 5PM session has proven to be both interesting and dangerous in the past. Joy will remain to call the action with Sadler and Hammond.

ESPN2 slips in the with now consistently solid NASCAR Now program at 6PM hosted by Nicole Manske. Mike Massaro will be reporting from the track along with Marty Smith. No doubt they will be hyping the live ESPN2 coverage of the Saturday legends charity race at 6PM. Ned and Dale Jarrett will be teaming up for the commentary.

It is still a shame that this program refuses to offer a promo with the correct time and TV channel for the Sprint Cup Series races. This is a glaring error and the only missing element in the newly revamped TV series. Someone on the NASCAR Now production staff simply needs to grow-up and it needs to happen soon.

There are a lot of potential topics to cover in the fast-paced Trackside show at 7PM on SPEED. From Darrell Waltrip's absence in the charity race to Mark Martin's awful season, this hour should fly by for viewers. Both Martin and Carl Edwards will appear on the show. No clue if Digger is along for the ride.

Steve Byrnes is the host and he tries his best to control Jeff Hammond, Larry McReynolds, Waltrip and the annoying Rutledge Wood. There are some big news topics this week and no doubt more stories will be breaking during the day on Friday. Trackside has done a good job of keeping viewers up to date as an end of the day wrap-up show.

This post will serve to host your comments about the Friday TV coverage on both SPEED and ESPN2. To add your TV-related opinion, just click on the comments button.

TDP is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind while posting. Thank you for taking the time to read The Daly Planet.

ESPN has to get that woman off of NASCAR Now. She wouldn't even know her own name if someone didn't write it on paper and put it in front of her. When it comes to racing, she doesn't know a crankshaft from a corn cob. She gives an entire new meaning to the word 'PATHETIC'.

No matter what all of ESPN's coverage of NASCAR has been terrible since they've come back in 2007. It all has to start with the race broadcasts. If they cannot realize that Dr. Punch is not getting it done in the booth (I think he'd be an awesome host for the pit studio) then why will they get rid of Nicole? I think she's doing a pretty good job. Not an Allen Bestwick by any means, but decent.

I can understand when Jack from PA asks "why get rid of Nicole/" Well, if you just had her, maybe you could overlook some of her goofs, but when you compare her to others, it's hard to understand why she's still there, other than she has a contract til the end of the season.

I have learned that in this site you cannot point out anything wrong with Nicole or AB.

I was disappointed that Nicole hosted all wk myself. I missed a few shows,simple because it was her. She is missing the mark somehow, imo. She doesn't come off as improving from last yr, when I was willing to give her a chance. That time has passed...

JD, I'm not anon 5.53, however, in the past when I have made an observation (not flatering)about Nicloe, my comment as have the comments of others, been deleted.

When you write a review of a NN broadcast, if I respond, I give specific details. I don't just say,"I don't like her." For me, that would not be fair.

Some of the comments I have made and been deleted include: she can't read the teleprompter, trips over her words, makes a pause on the wrong place, uses the same word in one interview. For example: expectation. She'll ask "what were your expectations this year, then she'll ask next, what are your expecations for this race, then what are your expectations for the Chase, etc. She can be quite rude and abrupt.

I could list more, but I'm not trying to just diss her. The point is that she is not very good. We sure don't know if she'll be back next season. I hope she improves, but so far, she's the same as last year.

watching NN right now and ive never really paid close attention to manske, but i must agree she shouldnt host the show. ive noticed she seems like she stutters too many times and on every segment theres 1 or 2 misread stats. i know everyone makes mistakes but theres just too many. and she sort of makes the guests a little uncomfortable

I smell a little something cooking with your comments where Manske is concerned.

She held her own after moving over from SPEED, jumped into the deep end this season and continues to be a better presence than Ryan Burr, who admittedly did not know the sport very well.

Comments are deleted on this blog when they are hateful, contain bad language or are judged to be in bad taste.

You can (and many people do) voice an opinion about any TV personality being discussed. Guys like Jimmy Spencer, Darrell Waltrip and Dr. Jerry Punch are frequently the topics of diverse opinions from readers.

I have never met Manske, do not care to advance her career and continue to be glad that Erik Kuselias was banished to the bowels of ESPN for life.

Again, just a reminder that it always helps to talk about what you would like to see someone do BETTER on the air instead of what you are upset they are doing now.

Enjoyable Friday coverage by the Speed gang. After witnessing the heartbreak of the sponsored cars of Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs missing the show, I sure hope those unsponsored go-or-go-homers that knocked them out did so because they are in Bristol to race and not just to collect starting money.

It will truly be a shame if any of those cars run only a couple laps of practice on Saturday, conveniently fall to the back of the starting grid on Sunday because of some kind of made-up "problem", run a few laps, and then park when their spots could have been occupied by owners and drivers that actually want to race and compete.

Amen SLF I was at worked, checked quick and was so saddened to see who missed the show.

As far as Nicole goes, I too am grateful not to be seeing Doug and Eric, Nicole is not perfect- see Harry Gant interview but expecting her to be a good as AB is asking a lot from most people. I prefer Mike because I think he has more Nascar knowledge but Nicole is so much better than some of what we have had to put up with.

I am watching what I taped earlier I think Pemberton ( I always get the brothers mixed up, Randy?)is having some issues, last week he was talking to Juan about the new Dodge nose oops he's in a Chevy this year and now Reut about the NW race which he's not in this week. I don't remember him having these problems last year, hope all is well with him.

stricklinfan, Super comment. I'm not a Scott Riggs or Jeremy M fan, but I really do hate those 2 have missed the race again after all the effort their teams have apparently put in. Almost seems like Tommy B's team's luck has all gone down hill since they got some sponsorship.

Maybe I am somewhat biased because of her disappointing tenure on SPEED, but I have been impressed by the job Nicole M has done on N-Now. She's obviously not a threat to Allen B, but she does a better job on N-Now than several other EESPN studio hosts.

JD- Super picture. Thank you. Not quite as good as DW in his PJ's, but super.

JD, sorry, I cannot agree with you that Nicole is better than Ryan Burr. He is a true professional and she is not, IMHO. He is doing beautifully in his new job, in basketball.

As I look at some of her round tables, it looks like the participants talk around/past her. I just don't see a respect that goes to a person that "knows" what they are doing.

I look at Ryan as he is doing basketball, and the panels he leads, the participants are looking at him and answering HIM!!Great chemistry.

I guess I wonder why you seem to defend Nicole and yet when people tear DW apart, you let them go at it--which is just fine. After all, it seems to me that your goal is to have people comment, whatever they think, as long as it is done is a way without using profanity/abusive language.

I think Nicole seems to have a little more knowledge on the sport than Ryan. I agree with you that Ryan is more of a professional, but I'd rather someone more informal but with more knowledge of the sport than someone more professional who does not show much interest in the sport. Especially with ESPN, who always brush NASCAR to the side no matter what show or channel.

I'm not anon 5:53,but I'm reacting to the comment about "Agenda"??? I, and I'm sure most TDP readers don't have an 'agenda'. All we expect is knowledgeable people covering their favorite sport on TV. Manske was a disaster on the Speed Report. I'm convinced she knows nothing about Nascar racing.On Speed Report,she once narrated a bike racing crash and commented that the rider reverted to a backup CAR! The next year on NN,she was almost as bad partly due to not having to cover as many venues. Last year she was better. No improvement this year. She has no self confidence and puts me to sleep with her monotone.That ESPN advances anyone carries absolutely no weight with me based on past choices.

JD, I'm talking about the diggs DW has gotten here for his personality, his B-B-B, his long stories, etc.

I'm not sure what you mean by loss of credibility. He sells stuff by the truck load. Does that mean he lost his knowledge of the sport? His credibility has to do with the fact that he either knows racing and can analize or not. Often times we hear him comment on an engine before it blows up, or notice a driver stuggeling loose before he crashes, or notices a flat tire before the crew, etc. I would dare say that DW is very well respected for his extensive knowledge, whether he sells Digger or not.

Like what you said about Nicole, his network thinks he's doing a good job and keeps him working.

someone want to tell me why Jimmie and Rutledge are on Trackside, I would really like to more of the guys on the stage not this mess, guess Scotts has sponsered this portion of Trackside, I feel like I'm watching a commercial

JD, i sure hope you don't think that because we don't think Nicole is doing a good job, we have an agenda. I don't comment on other's opinions, just mine. Like you, I don't know her and don't know anyone on this site. No agenda. Just think she ought to be replaced with someone who knows the sport and has good professional tv skills.

Bill H.- Goodyear now makes a grooved tire for the teams to use around the garage, transporting the car, inspection etc.

Just getting to watch, but it's funny I didn't even notice the shirts on the guys in the booth. I'm just seeing Dillner, and he looks pretty silly. Speed does need a fashion consultant. Yep there's Mike, Hermie, and Jeff and they do look kinda silly. At least Mike Joy filled his shirt out.

I noticed that DW was correcting Mike Joy a lot today. Most times I notice DW being a know-it-all but I guess he usually comments a little more discrete.

If EESPN can continue to have the grossly biased, mean-spirited Skip Bayless and Chris Mortenson without regard to their production, anyone can stay at EESPN - especially if you can develop a cutesy phrase or sound effect to use in place of real reporting.

Skip Bayless is to First Take what Tim Cowlishaw used to be to NASCAR Now.

ESPN is undergoing a radical change in viewership right now and the dynamics of this change will playout over this year.

After putting billions of dollars out in rights fees for high-profile events and building a Los Angeles based SportsCenter studio, the company has frozen hiring for 25 thousand dollar a year employees.

JD, I really believe you do a disservice to Tim Cowlishaw as I do not believe he comes close to the level of bias and mean-spiritedness of Skip Bayless as evidenced by SB's recent comments about Troy Aikman.